Chapter 398 Not Taken In By Her


    She quickly flipped open the pamphlet in her hands and looked at the introduction of the crescent moon


    earrings.


    It was a pair of natural sapphire gems just discovered in a new mine down south. A rare and unique


    fine, it had only gotten to be this way after careful cutting and polishing by a designer.


    To be honest, Natalia really wanted it.


    Not just her, but every woman there let out a cry of wonder the moment the earrings were revealed.


    Clearly everyone was taken in by it.


    Nothing could be done about that. Everyone liked pretty things.


    And this was just too pretty!


    Max wanted it too, but seeing Natalia’s enthused gaze, he finally suppressed his own desire.


    Never mind. It wouldn’t be gentlemanly to fight over it with a woman. And with this many women who


    wanted the earrings, if he stepped in, he’d be hated.


    As expected, soon enough, people started bidding.


    From a starting price of ten million, they went up by millions, and soon, they’d reached a price of eighty


    million.


    Natalia really did want it, but as the price got higher and higher, she hesitated and suppressed her


    urge.


    Eighty million! And it was probably going to keep going up, which was just too much!


    She realized that,pared to these earrings, that hairpin for eight million was nothing at all.


    “Eighty-five million! Thedy in number 26 has raised to eighty-five million! Are there any higher


    takers?”


    “Ny million!”


    A voice suddenly called.


    Everyone looked in unison towards the voice. It was that woman from before, Nadia.


    She sat at the front row, her lips slightly curved, looking confident in her victory. Her sensual neck was


    arched, and the white skin of her exposed chest gleamed like marble in the contrast of her red dress


    and the lighting.


    Natalia could hear plenty of men swallowing.


    She sneered with a bit of contempt and looked at Archie beside her.


    Fortunately, this man didn’t seem to notice the attractive view at all and kept his gaze on the stage, his


    face expressionless.


    “Ny million! All right, number 16 has raised to ny million! Can anyone up the bid?”


    There was a dozen seconds of silence.


    As the host got ready to strike the gavel, a cool voice called, “One hundred million!”


    What?


    One hundred million???


    Everyone looked over in disbelief, but when they saw it was Archie, everyone’s faces registered


    understanding.


    It was Archie who’d put up one hundred million. Well, that was to be expected.


    Everyone looked enviously at Natalia.


    And the people who didn’t know Archie could only gasp as they saw his face.


    What a handsome man!


    Rich and handsome, always the most irresistiblebination for women. Besides, someone who could


    attend a scene like this had to be a person with a special identity too. Money, looks, status – that was


    enough to make the majority of women swoon.


    Natalia muttered, “What are you doing?”


    Archie held her hand and didn’t speak.


    “This gentleman in number 32 is going for one hundred million! Can anyone up the bid?”


    Nadia looked at Archie with a pleading expression.


    That expression seemed to be saying, please have mercy Mr. McCarthy, and budge!


    Natalia’s little face went a bit dark.


    As opposed to pleading, this was more like a seduction.


    Right to her face, too.


    Natalia wasn’t okay with it, and considering everything Max had said, she felt even more


    ufortable.


    “One hundred million going once! One hundred million going twice! One hundred million…”


    “Ah, wait!”


    Nadia spoke again.


    Seeing it was her, the host had to chuckle. “Are you going to discuss it with that gentleman again,


    madam?”


    Nadia smiled faintly. “Apologies for the trouble.”


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    “Very well. Five-minute break.”


    Nadia turned and walked towards them again.


    This time, Natalia had learned enough not to speak.


    Nadia walked in front of Archie and gently said, “Mr. McCarthy, I really like this pair of earrings. Could


    you show mercy one more time and let me have it?”


    Archie looked mildly at her.


    “And you are?”


    Nadia’s smile froze solid.


    Max couldn’t hold it back and snorted withughter.


    She’d spent all this time here just a quarter of an hour ago introducing herself to him and now he didn’t


    even remember her.


    Even a goldfish wasn’t this forgetful!


    Nadia could feel how deliberate Archie was being, and forced a smile. “I’m sorry, I know it’s bad


    manners, but I really…”


    “Miss Nadia, you’re not telling us your other sister’s sick and likes these earrings too, are you!”


    Max couldn’t help but mock.


    Nadia had already noticed Max. After all, the second son of the Nixon family was a regr in the


    tabloids, so of course she’d recognize him.


    But her target wasn’t this sort of rich but whimsical yboy, but Archie, someone who could be of great


    help to her father’s political and financial power. That was why she hadn’t talked to Max at all.


    Seeing him speak now, she smiled faintly. “It’s not like that, Mr. Nixon. The rest of my sisters are well.


    It’s just one of my sisters who’s sick. I like these earrings personally, which is why I’m asking Mr.


    McCarthy to show some mercy.”


    Natalia looked at her and suddenly said, “But why should he let you have it?”


    Nadia blinked, seemingly not expecting her to speak.


    She smiled sensually, “That’s where you don’t understand, little sister. It’s gentlemanly for a man not to


    squabble with a woman. It’s fine that you’re still young and don’t understand. You will when you grow


    up.


    The meaning behind her words stung Natalia.


    “Oh? And if we just won’t let you have it today?”


    Nadia smiled. “That’s up to Mr. McCarthy.”


    She turned her dancing, suggestive gaze on him. “If you would step aside for me, Mr. McCarthy, I


    would be endlessly grateful. If I have a chance in the future, I will repay you heavily.”


    Looking at her moist eyes, Natalia scowled.


    Max smirked. “Repay him how? With your body?”


    Nadia didn’t even deny it and giggled, “If Mr. McCarthy is up for it, that’s fine too.”


    Natalia couldn’t hold it back anymore. This Nadia woman was saying all this with her right there. Did


    she really think she was a statue?


    She scoffed, “Miss Nadia, I think you should understand that Archie is a married man. Isn’t it a bit too


    much to seduce him right in front of me? Is the Naran family upbringing this ck?”


    Her words were very blunt.


    If it had been someone else, they would probably have lost their temper at that.


    But Nadia simply covered her mouth and smiled, “My, Mrs. McCarthy’s feathers are ruffled. It was just a


    joke. Why so serious? Do you not trust Mr. McCarthy, Mrs. McCarthy?”